The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-09-22
PARIS MILlINERS.
The Ordinary Life and Labors of the Aver
age French Modiste.

age French Modiste.
The author Of the "BOnheur des
Danes" has dealt more with the shop
girl than with the modiste, although he
may have among his valuable papers
whole pile of ''human documents" rela-
tive to the thousands of women who
are daily employed in Paris designing
and finishing garments for the great
ladies who set the fashions. While N.
Zola's possible production about mil
liners remains is in an embryotic con-
dition, the great realistic writer has
been anticipated by NJ. lie Roux, who
gives an admirable sketch of the ordi
nary life and labors of the Lutetian
milliner. According to him the ranks
of the nlOdistes are largely recruited
from school mistreSseS who can not
find pupils. daughters OF theatrical peo-
pie who do not ike to expose their chill
dren to the perils of the stage. and per-
sons whose parents have come down in
the world. Never does the Partisan
milliner allow herself to be called an
ourriere. She is, on the contrary.
demoiSelIc. and the very poor
est of these demoisclles would die
rather than cross the street like
-girl-that is to say, without hat
or gloves. In some great houses OF
millinery, dignity is so much thought
of that the staircase leading to the
nodiSteS' rooms is often marked
"Escalier des artistes." The appren-
tice milliner, who has paid premium.
is allowed to sew wire around hats and
to work on old models, while the char
ity apprentice, or naoditton, picks up
pins from the floor of the work-room,
runs errands for the artistcs. and car
ries parcels for the firm all over Paris.
After about two years apprenticeship
the blossoming moGiSte becomes an ap-
preteuse, and earns about f2per month,
eagerly awaiting the while her eleva-
ton to the rank of garniSSeuse. These
(the garnisseuses) are the stars of the
profession. They are to be met every
where looking for hits. They are at
close scrutiny the dresses of the act
resses, who, like Marie Magnier, have
a new costume for each scene in which
they appear. They attend fashionable
weddings at the Madeleine. and even
hunt about the book-shopS and stalls on
the qnays, peering over Old-fashioned
cngravings. Not so well paid as
these are the UendeuSeS, who must have
a good deal of tact, an eye for form and
color, and be able to hit off the taste of
customers to a nicely. Some of the
Ucndeuses, who speak English in adj
dition to their other accomplishments,
receive as much as 9120 per annum in
good houses. A few of the sellers" are
also employed in soliciting orders for
their houses. Milliners are divided into
two classes-thosei in shops and those i'll
apartments or private rooms. The
rnodiSte en- boutique is not creator"
Of fashions, so she generally sends one
of her most aristocratic-lOOking as
sstants rs Il customer into the private
rooms of the leading milliners, in order
to ask for the novelties of the season.
Sometimes the trick is discovered, and
vengeance is taken in many ways pecu-
liar to the inventive female mind. On
one occasion 4 premiere. or forewoman,
from milliner's shop was identified by
fashionable Nine. Mantalini in her
rooms, and was locked up in closet,
where she received bread and water for
her sustenance, until her mistress had
to come. crsstfallen and confused, to
claim her.-Paris Cor. London Ielc-
graph.